A blind calypso musician and his band who were thrown off a Ryanair plane as suspected terrorists were awarded a total of £4,000 in damages yesterday.

Michael Toussaint and four members of the London-based Caribbean Steel International Orchestra were escorted off the plane at gunpoint by Italian police without warning or explanation and were not allowed back on, despite being cleared by the authorities within 20 minutes.

Having been thrown off the plane on New Year's Eve 2006, leaving them stranded in Sardinia, the band were only offered a flight to Liverpool by the airline the following day. They then missed the last coach back from Liverpool to London and were forced to spend a "miserable night" in the town's bus station, having failed to find a hotel room.

A judge ruled that the airline had not acted reasonably and had failed in its duty of care to the passengers, particularly Toussaint, who was entitled to special care because of his disability.

He also found the company had issued a "false and misleading" statement to the BBC, which blamed the incident on the Italian security authorities.

Jason Constantine, 43, a member of the band, from West Norwood, south London, said: "We were being accused of something with no explanation and no apology. We were hurt and angry. For me, the worst part was that the pilot made no effort to speak to us once the police had cleared us."

He called for an investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority and added: "People are overusing the terrorist angle to get away with things - and this shows they can't."

The band were thrown off the flight to Stansted after a passenger told cabin crew of his concern that the group were sitting separately after sitting together in the terminal building. He also said he believed Toussaint was feigning blindness. The passenger, who claimed to be a psychology lecturer, then threatened to leave the flight with his family unless the band members were removed. A further two families then made similar complaints.

Philip Marshall, QC, who acted for the band, said the incident may have been racially motivated. He said: "They were the only black people on the flight and certain [members] of the crew indicated to the pilot that they were not prepared to fly with the group." He said the sum awarded reflected the "extreme situation" in which the band members were left to fend for themselves.

Constantine described being stranded in a deserted and rainy Liverpool on New Year's Day as "hell". They were forced to take refuge from the elements in a kebab shop, then a bus shelter until the station opened at 3am. "I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy," he said.

In a written judgment, issued by the Mayor's and City of London court yesterday, District Judge Southcombe awarded each band member £800 each, in addition to their out of pocket losses of £190 each.

"Their embarrassment at being the only black persons removed from the aircraft at gunpoint for no just reason, their inability to be with their families and friends on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, the overnight stay in the cold in Liverpool have to be taken into account," he said.

The judge concluded that Captain Sam Dunlop had "ample time" to reassess the situation once the Italian authorities had confirmed they were bona fide passengers, but he did not.